IR35 is costing accountants and their clients a lot of money. Accountants are losing clients as large numbers of freelancers have decided, in the face of IR35, to close their service company.

Instead they have either gone permanent or they have decided to work through umbrella companies and composite companies. For freelancers the costs are equally high. For a typical high level freelancer with gross fees of say £80,000 the cost of being caught by IR35 can be of the order of £10,000 to £20,000 depending upon the extent to which they take advantage of the ability to take dividends rather than salary and to spread dividends amongst other shareholders.

Following the launch of Freelancers Outside IR35 (FO35) there has been number of queries about the issue of penalties under IR35 – stemming from the fact that FO35 is the only tax enquiry insurance product that includes cover for penalties without the need for a separate contract review by an outside expert. This paper explains the issues that lie behind the Freelancers Outside IR35 (FO35) approach.

A tax expert at independent tax consultancy firm WJB Chiltern has provided an analysis of a structure, currently being marketed as an IR35 avoidance mechanism, which uses an Isle of Man employee benefit trust arrangement.

In the third article in the series concerned with freelancers working overseas, Barry Roback, the JSA Group's Chief Executive, looks at the different ways to organise an overseas contract and the merits (or lack of them!) of each.

At the Skills Sector Panel last week, I watched member after member nod their heads in agreement to wipe the IT skills shortage list clean. All our hard work had come to fruition. Rather than class it as a victory for an individual or a group, this was primarily a victory for the facts and the truth.

The Department of Trade and Industry has amended the 'Draft Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2002' to incorporate a number of changes suggested during its previous consulation. These include some made by the Professional Contractors Group. Shout99.com readers can comment below and we will submit these to the DTI as part of the consultation process.

The lobbying of MPs has increased dramatically in recent years. The symptoms include groaning postbags, more Parliamentary demonstrations and more staff being recruited to handle the enquiries and the casework.

So how can a freelancer or small enterprise get through to their MP?

Like many things in politics there are no set, agreed rules. However here are my thoughts as to how you might best lobby your MP.